Who'd Have Known?
by JimJamFan
Summary: Cindy ran away, Jimmy finally found her, but what happens when she has to return to a place she didn't want to return to, especially since nothing was the same after she left. Can Jimmy help her find a life she wants to live? JxC SxL
1. Cafe de Nowhere

Who'd Have Known?

{Blue eyes that I lost myself in, how long ago, I'm not sure. All I know is that I wanted out because I knew we were too immature. So I ran. I ran away when I was only 15, too afraid to even tell my best friend, Libby. My phone rang too much so I threw it in the sewer, I felt like I was brand new, and only getting newer, each step I took was a shedding of my old skin and soon my life, my heart, my head began to spin. Look at me now I'm in pretty tough shape, and the day that I saw him, I barely recognized his face but he new mine and he's known it all the time, He said to me slow-ly he wanted me to come home, please. I refused to go, unless it was in the other direction if he thought with just a smile that he'd regain my affection, he was wrong like he always has been I saw in his eyes that he knew he would win.}

"Sweet-heart... Now are you gunna want bacon or hash browns on the side?" I look up at the waitress, curly red hair that matched her heinous lipstick and fingernails. She finished pouring my coffee "Can I have both?" I asked feebly. She rolled her eyes but nodded and walked back to the kitchen. I sighed and put my head on the table. "So, Vortex," Jimmy piped up from across the booth "you know it's been 4 years since you left Retroville, right?" I glared at him best I could, being as tired as I was seeing as though I haven't slept in a couple of days, (although that was norm for me nowadays) "Yes. I know. Got anymore smartass questions?" he laughed and shook his head sipping his coffee like the arrogant, gaudy, stupid, disgusting "I was just saying a lot has changed since you were there. Like your mom moved out from across the street" Wait. "She did? Were is she?" I ask a little too interested since she was another big reason I left "I don't know, none of us knew, she didn't like us very much so when ever some one asked she'd ignore them." He smiled; I did a bit too, but only a bit.

"What else changed?" I asked looking out the window of the Cafe-de-Nowhere we found driving from where ever I wondered to, I think Oklahoma. "Well, Carl moved, his mother up and left when a dry heat caused his asthma to flare up big time." He said a little desolate, "Sheen changed I guess you could say, he recently broke up with Libby." "What! How recently?" He waited for a while trying to think, leaving me hanging, why would he do that? How is Libby? Oh god Libby, I haven't thought about her in "about a year and a half ago, but they were having issues anyway, ever since you left" he shrugged. "Ouch. How'd Libby take it?" I ask, putting my hair in a bun. He laughs, "Like I know? Cindy, I don't think you know this, but I left three years ago to go look for you. The only contact I've had was through Sheen and all he ever said to me about the subject was 'I don't wanna talk about it.'" The waitress interrupts my thought with breakfast and honestly, who can think when there is bacon involved?

We ate in silence so I guess I kind of just let my mind wander. I occasionally looked up from stuffing my face, 'Jimmy does look a lot different.' His jaw line stopped being so curvy, he grew at least a bazillion feet 'ok, 3 but you know what I mean' his hair got curly for some reason, but, it sort of worked for him, in a surfer kind of way. His body definitely changed, his arms grew into his hands, his shoulders squared, and he wore a bit more fashionable, though worn out outfit: A shaggy-unbuttoned button-up that was white plaid and a stained dark blue undershirt. Still next to him I looked like a short nasty dog that needed to bathe. 'But first things first, I need to eat'.

After eating Jimmy paid and we walked out to his ratty old rust-red pick up truck. Goddard sat up in the bed and barked "Heyya boy, yah miss me" Jimmy laughed rubbing his dog's metal head. I climbed into the passenger seat, full and sleepy, and waited for him to finish his love session with his prize-pooch in the Texas summer heat. 'God. Really Jimmy, he's a dog, and not even a real one' "Sorry, Had to feed Goddard some lug nuts" he said getting in the front seat and taking out his keys. I nodded just for the sake of acknowledging him but I continued looking out the window. After a while I hadn't realized we weren't moving still until Goddard barked again, I looked over at Jimmy who hadn't even turned the car on. He just sat there staring at me, not cold, but not warm, he sort of just stared. "Yes?" I asked rudely, with one eyebrow raised-up. "Cindy, I've wanted to ask you something for a really long time, would you mind?" he asked nervously, unintentionally getting closer. I rolled my eyes "sure go ahead, just make it fast I'm pretty sure I'm almost medium-rare it's so hot in here" he laughed but little did he know I wasn't kidding. "Why did you leave?" he asked suddenly holding his breath waiting for me to answer.

I knew it would come when someone would ask me that. I knew why I left; I never could formulate a response because I don't think he'd understand. We were young and when we pushed that barrier down between us we so carefully laid out in the fifth grade, we went at each other like a flood, something everyday it was so stupid. By fifteen we were getting pressures from high school to do things we both knew we weren't ready to do, well, I knew anyway. Nerdtron here didn't. So when I tried pointing it out we fought and I told him I was done with this immature petty arguing about what I want to do with myself. And I left. I don't know why I didn't just break up with him, it would have been easier and I would have still had food and clean hair, but it being me we are speaking of, I had to be a drama queen. It was so unlike him to pressure me too. But it was like him to have to be the right one in every argument.

"Cindy?" he asked putting his hand on mine, electricity ran down my spine, "Why did you leave?" I pushed off his and crossed my arms "I told you the day I left. Was that not enough for you? You know as well as I do why I left, seeing as you were the one who made me" "I didn't make you do anything Vortex! I'd never make you do anything" "Oh yeah!" I yelled, "What about when we were in high school huh? When you made me" "Oh come on, what? That's sick" "Don't play innocent Nerdface I know what happened" I screamed struggling to take off my seatbelt "Oh no wait, Cindy don't go" he said his face starting to get a bit more warm. "It's too late Neutron. You always have to push me away don't you? I start feeling a little bit better, heck even up to coming home for the first time in 4 years and you go and blow it YOU RUIN EVERYTHING" I give up trying to undo the seat belt, tears cooling down my red hot face. I guess I just sat there and cried for a while, he watched me, his eyes flicking over my body anxiously. Eventually through my sobs I heard him start the car and get back on the road.

"Cindy" ... "Cindy" I barely parted my eyes, squinting at the tiny light in his old car, it was dark out so I assumed I fell asleep in my post-rage crying. "There you're awake, come on I rented us a place to stay tonight so you'd be more comfortable" I made out Jimmy's face, wiping my eyes I let him help me up. I guess it was sort of nice of him to do this I'd give him that. "Where are we?" I choked out, groggily walking to the outdoor motel our room door already open. "5 o 6 miles from Retroville. Here I made your bed for you" he said really nicely, "I'm sorry about earlier" I looked at him in silent uninterest 'what? All I'm interested in is sleep, give me a break' "And four years ago I guess. If it makes you feel any better, I've changed too." He smiles a sheepish, sneaky smile at me and I roll my eyes. That discouraged him great. "You can go back to sleep now. I guess we can talk when we get back to Retroville." And with that he walks to the bathroom leaving me with the heavy, heavy realization that I'm 5 to 6 miles away from my home, my friends and my old life and I'm not even sure I want it.


	2. Newspapers

Disclaimer I forget to put everytime: I no own jimmy k? k.

The steam coming from the bathroom and Jimmy's shower makes the smell in this danky old hotel even worse, but I'm too in my head to care I guess. 'What am I going to say to Libby. I kind of just left her, which is so unlike me. I mean of the people who were involved Jimmy is the one who should have hit the road, not me. She is going to be so mad at me. Will she even want to talk to me? I want to talk to her, god I wonder how much she's changed. How did she move on, I miss her so much. I don't have to worry about seeing my mom or dealing with that rage, because she moved and all. Which is good, I guess, but I kind of sort of miss her, you know? Wait, where am I going to stay? Oh does it matter I've been a hobo for the past 4 years I can adapt. Wait, does Jimmy still have that lab of his? Maybe I could bunk there. Or even, in his house.' "What are you doing awake?" I look over to him, my eyes wide open searching his face for the answers to all of the questions in my head. "Do you still have your lab?" I ask ignoring the fact he's only wearing a, 'holy mama he's only wearing a towel!' Oh crap am I blushing' but it didn't matter because he started blushing too "Uh, sorry, I thought you were asleep" he grabs his clothes off his bed and runs into the bathroom. Despite the fact I really really don't like him, he's really cute when he's nervous. What did he even do back then, he seemed like a completely different person. The bathroom door opens again, but this time I heard it.

"Why do you want to know about the lab?" he asked walking over to my bed. "Well, I don't know maybe I need a place to stay, sleep maybe shelter from rain would be nice." I joke as he sits next to me. He smiles "ha, yeah it would, but sorry to say I got rid of the lab, it was too small so I talked to the military and they got me a new one complete with observatorium and rocket launch-pads. It's pretty sweet but not habitable for a pretty girl such as your-" "Watch it Neutron." I glare at him, he chuckles, and coughs "I was thinking maybe you'd stay with me. My parent's thought with the loss of my lab I'd need more room so they knocked out a wall of my room and well, yeah, I have a spare bed in the corner for when Sheen stays the night, which happens a lot less lately" he smiles. I nodded. And for a while we just sat in silence next to eachother. It was... comfortable.

...

...

"Is Libby mad?"

...

...

"Yeah."

...

...

"But mostly at me." He turns to me. "I don't blame her, or you for being mad at me," I look at him through the corner of my eye. "Listen Cindy. You have to believe me, I'm so sorry what I did four years ago. I never forgave myself, and I never expect you to." He sighs "It was wrong of me to do that to you, to succumb to peer pressure like that, you know that's not like me." And with that I turn fully to him "Although I hate to admit it you're right, it's not like you to do that. And it's both our faults, we started too soon." He looks up at me all doe-eyed "I mean, who starts dating at eleven anyway, or who starts kissing at thirteen, I'm glad I left when I did, things could have turned ugly" I smile. "Especially with you around nerd brain." I laugh. He huffs and hits me with the pillow "hey!" I giggle, ew. I haven't giggled in so long. I haven't laughed in so long. "Do you know how long it's been since I've had human contact?" I ask amazed at my epiphanies, he shakes his head "sooooo long" I say completely serious. "So freaking long". I figure I could distract him "Like I haven't smiled at someone, laughed with someone, hugged anyone, played with anyone, I haven't had a friend, not even a little one in so long!" he laughs at me, but I ignore that "sounds about right" he laughs again. 'Oh no he didn't' I smack him with the other pillow, not once, not twice, but three whole times, ladies and gentlemen. "hey- he-hey stop!" he begs for mercy, but he's messed with Cindy Vortex "I also haven't – beat – the crud out – of someone – with a – pillow –in so- HEY" he retaliates catching me of gaurd "So it's a battle you want Vortex?" he laughs hitting me with the pillow a second time.

I stop and look down at him motherly

"Oh Jimmy," I smile evily "You know I only ask for wars" and with that I hit him with my hardest swing I've ever done, I think, completely ripping the pillow case and pillow revealing a case full of newspaper shreddings. "nahahahahahaaaasty" Jimmy laughs jumping off the bed as damp newspaper scraps rain down on the bed, and me. I follow quickly because even though I've slept on newspaper in my day, I didn't want to find out what other people had been doing on it in this pillow. "Man you've got quite the swing there, Cindy" he says patting his bed next to where he's sitting "you can sleep in my bed if you want, I can sleep..." "You can stay there, we're adults" I say, even though we're only nineteen. I can tell he's not entirely ok with the idea by the look on his face. "Just lie down nerftron, I'm not going to try anything and neither are you." Still hesitant he gets under the top blanket and I get under the two sheets. "see we aren't even touching" "alright cindy I get it, it's cool."

And with that, we retreat.


	3. Chez Neutron

Don't own James or anyone of that sort.

"Are you nervous?" he asks, quite stupidly might I add, watching the road. "Hmm, what gave it away, the fact that I've lost feeling in my bottom lip from biting it so much or the fact that my hands haven't stopped shaking since we left the motel an hour ago" I almost yell crossing my arms and blowing my bangs out of my face. I looked over at him, "what are you so happy about?" I asked, he has no right to be "I'm just happy I found you. I missed that" "that what?" I snap, he laughs, what's his aim? "That. When you get all persnickety and yell, I don't know why but I guess you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone." He looks at me through the corner of his eye, I turn to the road "That doesn't make any sense, why would you like it when I yell at you, you creep"

He smiles in silence. Quite a long silence, it's nice outside, but hot. And of course Jimmy's air conditioner broke a mile back so we have the windows down. "UGH!" I yell, making Jimmy swerve "WHAT what! Why the UGHing!" he yells pretty startled. "I'm just mad I let you talk me into this." I look out the window to the red sand. Lots and lots of red sand, and plateaus, and freedom, while I'm stuck in this stupid car with this stupid "you're just nervous, chill out. If you want I can let you chill at my house first let you get comfortable, show you around" NO! "NO! What if someone sees me! I don't want people to see me." He laughs, why would he laugh at my pain? "Fine, you can just chill at my house, take a shower maybe change into some of my mom's old stuff, I'll fill you in on the deets of things" the deets? I look at him, "how much longer till we get there?" I ask. He looks at his watch "VOX?" he says, hmm, he still has vox. "23 minutes 45 seconds" a robotic voice says. Shit shit shit "Shit shit shit shit shit" "Chill Cyn," Screw him I'm ducking. I undo my seat belt and crawl underneath the dashboard "Cindy what are you doing?" he asks laughing "hiding. What does it look like?" I reply scowling. He looks down at me for a second "Are you comfortable?" he mocks "Of course I'm comfortable now stop acknowledging my presence." I say leaning my head against the... the... thingy. You know. The thingy.

Bump.

Bump.

Turn.

Bump Turn. "Curb check" he laughs.

Bump Ow.

Turn.

Turn Ow.

Bump Bump Turn Ow.

Turn Bump Ow. "God this is taking forever where are we?" I ask poking my head out from the... thingy.

He stops the car "Here." He smiles putting it into park and undoing his seat belt. "Are you coming?" he asks, pfft are you coming? "Not yet, check to see if the coast is clea-" "JIMMYYYY!" An older woman yelps, I hear a door close and what sounds like high heels on grass. "Hey mom," he says in his much deeper voice, rather unexcited seeing as though he hasn't seen her in 3 years. I can't hear much but it sounds like hugging is happening "Muah muah" she over emphasizes what I assume is kissing his face. "Mom, stop, come, on haha" he laughs. "So hunny, any... luck?" she pauses "I guess not hmm, I'm sorry" she says quickly "Actually mom, don't scream but I did have luck" he walks closer to the car I shut my eyes really tight "you mean" he opens the door and there's silence. I open one of my eyes and then both, she's staring at me in what I assume is disbelief. "Hi." I wave. He turns to his mom "Now mom she's laying low for today because she's really nervous so please could you try not to" "O CINDY!" She screams scattering the birds in the tree behind her. She runs to the car and grabs my arms pulling me "STOP HER STOP HER AH MY COVER IS BLOWN!" I scream being forced out of the car, Jimmy runs in between us "Mom you can do this inside for now I need you to run to the coat closet and get one of my jackets, sheen lives around here and If he found out the whole town would know" he says putting me back in the car. His mother nods and runs back into the house.

She soon comes back and they cover me with the coat until we reach the door, Ms Neutron pulls me into a huge bear hug, and even though I'm not much of the hugging type, I hug back, with an equal amount of force too. What? I haven't hugged anyone in 4 years, as you can imagine that's really sad seeing all the bad days I've had. I needed a hug. It was nice; she was warm and smelled like sugar. I could have stayed there for a while but when I opened my eyes Nerdface was ogling me so I pushed her off. "Poor dear where on earth did you go?" she asks rushing to the kitchen dragging me behind her. "Well, I'm not really sure I think Oklahoma, I found a hostel near here that let me stay for a couple of months, then I walked for like a year eating up my food supply then I reached O'Donnell and bought myself a new food supply before I remembered I had a buddy who lived there so I stayed with the buddy from O'Donnell for about a year and a half, he gave me a ride as far as Aspermont which took a month or two, I gave him the rest of my money for gas and ended up almost starving so I stopped at like Indiahoma and that's when Jimmy found me and tried convincing me to come home." I briefly look at Jimmy. "Oh you poor dear you must be starving" She ran to the oven and put on oven mitts "Oh no mom it's cool, I bought her breakfast this morning" Jimmy pipes up as her mom takes out a pie. "Are you sure?" she asks putting the pie on the counter. "Yeah, it's cool Mrs. Neutron. I'd really like a shower, and maybe some better smelling clothes though." I smile getting up from the table. Jimmy gets up quickly soon after I do "You can use mine it's up in my room, I'll show you" he says walking towards the stairs "she's staying here?" Mrs. Neutron asks slowly following "Yeah mom is that cool with you?" He asks halfway up the stairs. Oh great, it might not be. Woohoo. "It's completely fine I'll go get my old clothes from the attic." She yells up the stairs as we round the corner.

"Alright, here is my room, hopefully no one touched it since I've been gone" he says opening up a door into a room with three dark blue walls and a cool gray one where a king sized bed with gray sheets and dark blue blankets and pillows sits in the middle. He has posters of the periodic table and Einstein, Madam Curie. Pft. I look around for the extra bed, but I don't see it anywhere "Jimmy where's the b" "Bed? It's hidden," He runs over to the wall opposite the door and flips a red switch. Suddenly an opening in the wall at the very end spits out a metal box spring, then the mattress, then white sheets, a teal and purple striped blanket and a pillow with an "I love Ultralord" pillowcase, and soon I had a, nerdy, but fully made twin bed. "I see why you keep it hidden," I laugh walking around the room looking at the walls and pictures. There were lots of small pictures of his mom, his dad, a couple of ducks, Carl, Sheen and Libby. There was one of me though. "Yeah he never changed his love for Ultralord, he made me put those on there, I can change them if you want" he asks. I oddly decline. I don't know why, maybe I kind of sort of miss Sheen and his weird obsession. "The bathroom is in here" Jimmy pipes up pointing into a small bathroom "So when ever my mom comes up here with some clothes you can just head in there. It's operated by vox so, just tell her what you want and she'll make it happen. It shouldn't take more than 2 minutes." He walks over to me "Thanks Jim." I smile, he smiles back "It's the least I could do." He stops a couple inches away. "Well I'm going to go-" I couldn't help myself, I hugged him, even though I hate for what he did and that he brought me here I've wanted to hug him since I saw him (and recognized him that is). So we hugged and I smiled and I don't know what he did but he definitely started beating his heart faster.

I let go a few seconds later "don't think that because I hugged you I suddenly love you, ok? You're stupid and ugly and also I hate you, remember that. I just think that you deserve a hug because I... just... think you do geese what is this Dr Phil? I don't know" I sneer at him he just laughs because he's arrogant and stupid. I hate him. " I'm going to go cloak the Rust Bucket so sheen doesn't figure out I'm home and come bother me, you start taking that shower ok?" he smiles putting his hand on my shoulder, which I soon shrugged off because I felt like it "Don't tell me what to do." He laughs "fine, I wont." He says as he leaves closing the door behind him. I walk into his bathroom, which, weirdly doesn't have any towels, or even a shower, much less soap or shampoo. It kind of just looks like a tiled room with a toilet in the corner. The tiles are cool though, I liked the colors, reds and blues and stone and greens and yellows, about every color but orange, no wait there's one. I stood in the room for a second just looking around, turning, searching for some sort of clue as to what makes this a bathroom besides tiles and toilet.

"What am I supposed to even do-" "DNA ANALYSIS PLEASE"

A robotic voice comes from a speaker in the top corner of the room. One of the tiles extends to reveal a scanner thing, but what does she want me to scan? "PLEASE DEPOSIT A STRAND OF HAIR ON THE SCANNER AND WAIT FOR FURTHER INSTRUCTION" The voice says again. I pick one of my hairs and put it on the scanner. The tile pulls back into the wall with my hair and the door closes behind me. "CYNTHIA A. VORTEX, CLASS D HAIR TYPE, CLASS C-56 SKIN TYPE, ALLERGIC TO POLYQUARTERNIUM-10 AND BLUE DYE NUMBER 4" 'I am?' "HAIR DAMAGE AT LEVEL 26 WITH 4,568,940,384 SPLIT ENDS AND 39,472,938,408,947,493 CLOGGED FOLLICLES." Jesus H. Christ I don't think I have that many follicles "ADJUSTING" She said and then with a whir of noises and beeps a small piece of paper printed out of the wall "DATA ANALYSIS COMPLETED. PLEASE TAKE GOGGLES" What – a pair of goggles with the nosepiece rose up from the floor. Oh. I took the goggles and put them on "PLEASE PUT GOGGLE STRAP UNDER HAIR" Vox said. Oh. Ok. I guess that makes sense. I pull the goggles down and fish my hair out from under them and pull them back up, waiting for her to say something. "ONE MOMENT" She said quickly. Elevator music came on from the speaker, but that was cut short. "PLEASE REMOVE ANY VALUABLES OR ELECTRONICS AND DEPOSIT THEM IN BIN, KEEP YOUR MOUTH CLOSED DURING SHOWER AND HAVE A NICE DAY" She says as a bin appears. I pawned off everything I owned valuable. So I stood there.

Wait was I supposed to take my- Suddenly water comes pouring out of every tile at like a bazillion miles an hour. Robotic hands with scrub-brushes come and start hopelessly scrubbing my clothes and other places all over my body, one of the tiles pours shampoo on my head and padded hands start scrubbing viciously for what felt like hours but I knew was only seconds. The scrubbing stopped and the robot arms retreated then after I was completely rinsed so did the water. I stood there for a second, soaking wet, confused, and ready to kill Neutron for not telling me about this, but I was interrupted by wind speeds of over 90 mph blowing at me from all directions, frizzing my hair no doubt and nearly knocking me on my hindquarters. I struggled ferociously to reach the door because I couldn't wait to strangle Jimmy; but as soon as I was able to turn around and realize there was no door it stopped, "THANK YOU FOR TAKING A SHOWER" VOX said as a brush fell from the ceiling "RESUME TO EXIT DON'T FORGET YOUR BRUSH" she voiced almost mockingly as the brush hit me on the head. A door of tiles receded into the rest of the wall and exposed Jimmy smirking at my agony.

"I should have mentioned the brush thing shouldn't I" he laughs entering the tiled room I roll my eyes "how about the water, dryer, my hair, the clothes-removal deal? Yeah. How about mentioning the whole experience." I grimace taking off the stupid goggles and throwing them at him. He catches them and smiles "you should know better than to not expect the unexpected when rooming at Chez Neutron" he steps closer tossing the goggles up where a robot arm extends from a tile and retrieves them. I roll my eyes "so I forgot a few things, kill me" I turn quickly, catching a whiff of my hair, 'that's odd', I grab a chunk and bring it back to my nose sniffing. "is that... raspberry?" I ask, he nods "mmhmm, and apple, with honeysuckle, and hint, but only a hint, of peppermint. My own recipe." It smells so good, it's so fruity and sweet, and fresh. "Can I, maybe get a couple bottles, you know, when I start my life back up and move out?" I put my hair down and wait for a response but he takes a few seconds. "of course Cindy. Anything for a friend." He smiles. "now," we start walking out of the bathroom "my mom couldn't find her old box of clothes because dad cleaned out the attic, so for now you are going to have to wear my old stuff, sorry but you are just hanging around here. My mom is going to ask one of her Sewing-Sisters friends to lend her her daughter's old stuff. She says it should fit." He hands me a stack of clothes from his bed. "Get changed, so you and I can talk about tomorrow." He says leaving the room. I look down at the clothes, nauseated. Wear neutrons clothes? I sniff the stack. Well nothing smells, bad. I sniff them again. They smell, familiar. Oh well I guess I'll wear them. It's only one day... right?


	4. The More They Crave

**Disclaimer: no own jimmmmmmeh.**

**{Hey you guys a short one before I go to bed. I want to finish this before school starts so I won't not finish it ever. Very short but just stay with me here ok? Ok bye!}**

I reached for the little blue ball that bounced off the ceiling and onto the bed. "So they're fighting pretty bad, eh?" I ask tossing it back to him. He nods "yep, Sheen barely even talks about her when ever he calls" he says catching the ball we were throwing between the beds as we talked. My back was backed into the corner supported by the ultra pillow, he was sitting on the edge with his feet dangling off of his massive bed. "And when ever he does, he refers to her as Pigface or even worse 'Liberty'" he shudders and throws back the ball which switches colors to green. "That's so awful." I catch the ball "And you think this is because of me?" I ask not sending the ball back. He shakes his head viciously "no, but it did start with you. You left: I kind of got really depressed, Libby and I teamed up and swore to find you and Sheen got jealous for no reason so he wanted to fight me" "Did you fight him?" I ask throwing back the ball, now orange "Yeah. But it wasn't worth the five bucks people paid for It." He catches it. "For real? People paid?" I'd believe it if I were there to be the ticket seller.

"You know how we get. Always something over-the-top to pass thirty minutes, you know?" he laughs "Well anyway we fought and Sheen lost but he didn't give up. That's why Libby broke up with him and Sheen had no one to turn to so he begged me for forgiveness for a week straight, he even threatened me with a food strike." I catch the ball "he starved himself?" throw the ball. "Nah, he actually chained himself to _my_ fridge the day we got groceries so my mom couldn't put away the perishables. She made me forgive him." Jimmy catches the ball and throws it back. I roll my eyes. "You guys are idiots."

I ended up wearing his old baseball jersey, which was way too big but really cozy, and a pair of his boxers, which he never wore so he told me not to worry. He had changed into his pajamas too, which was sweatpants and a t-shirt. We'd been in here for a while just talking, I found out Jimmy's dad started a band called "The Fallen Ducks" and went on tour in Arizona recently. Arizona being the only place that was interested, that is. His mom lived alone for half a year before we came, poor lady. Sheen and Libby have been fighting recently, obviously. Jimmy never dated after I left, even I had an imaginary boyfriend that brief week I went insane from loneliness and dehydration I mean come on. We've been up here talking for so long it's now dark outside, but don't worry, Jimmy's mom made sure we took a break for dinner. But yeah, it's been a nice day.

I catch the ball and toss it into his dirty laundry basket. "Well how do they fight?" I ask getting up and walking over to his bed. He leans back onto the bed "what do you mean?" he asks as I sit down next to him "like are they fighting physically, are they play fighting?" he pauses and thinks "you know how you and I used to fight?" I look at him confused as I lay down "You know before we started dating?" Oh yeah. Jeese, that was a long time ago. "Yep" I say He smiles "Well imagine that, except I'm dumb and don't think before I speak and you, well you know Libby." "So you think they still like each other?" I ask, now he stares at me "well, I mean, you know, like... remember? Back when we fought... it was sort of... to... cover up... things... certain things?" pathetic but he nods, thank god that was too awkward to explain.

"I know they still like each other. They're just to stubborn to realize it." He says eyes to the ceiling. I laugh and look at him "Can you imagine two people, refusing to think about the other person for so long?" He rests his head on his hand and looks me in the eye "heh, but at the same time that's all they think about," he says. I turn my entire body to face his. "Because their conscience wont let them forget. Forget their conversations" "Their smile" he smiles, and so do I "Forget what they look like-" I search his face "-what they smell like" he says still smiling "What they feel like" I say letting my hand lay on top of his. My eyes flick down his body and then back to his face, which was now inches from mine. "What they taste like" he says, now whispering "and the longer they go with out each other, the less they remember" I say whispering too, his eyes not leaving mine. My heart slows to a sluggish beat as we inch towards each other. "But the more they crave" I close my eyes and feel his lips touch the corner of my mouth.

Oh god. No, what am I doing. Am I really letting him kiss me? Oh dear he's doing it again. Wait. Am I? Am I kissing back? GASP! I am! Stop it, Cindy, what are you DOING! Oh my god his hand, traveling hand over here! Get out of the small of my back! WHY AREN'T YOU DOING ANYTHING? Oh, no wait there you go, you're doing something. Excuse me Cindy, I don't think running your hand through his hair is going to stop anything. Great job there, Cindy. Oh no, you kids go ahead, throw your life away, all you worked for, all you stood for. Just have at it like pig-

He pulls away suddenly. I open my eyes slightly, to my surprise, he isn't there next to me. "Jimmy?" I sit up "Cindy." He sighs and turns around. "I can't." I look at my lap. You stupid, stupid girl. Why'd you have to do this. You don't even like him. He's an icky boy. "VOX, transport to lab, please" he says. I look up and he's gone.

Crap. Just Crap.


	5. Brainless Punk

A beam of light flashes across my eyes "Ugh." I roll over and put the pillow over my head, "Go away sun I sleepy...now" I'm too tired to even care that that didn't make sense. Wait. My eyes open and I trip out of bed dart my eyes across the room "Jimmy's room." I look back to the bed "Jimmy's bed." Hmmm. What happened yesterday? I fumble onto a wall groping my way along it I reach a mirror. "Ugh, my hair looks like a mess." I run my hand through my bangs and sigh.

"Yeah," Jimmy's in the doorway holding two coffee cups "But it looks like you slept well." He says walking towards me handing me a cup of hot coffee "Drink it and get ready, Libby's coming over." I take the cup and look around the room and back at him "What do I get ready in, exactly?" His eyebrows raise "OH! Oops sorry" He opens a drawer in his dresser and motions me to come over so I do "I give you: a weeks supply of clean teenage girl appropriate attire!" I look down into a dresser filled with colorful cotton-wear. He hesitantly touches my shoulder "You can use vox or a brush to take care of that hair situation of yours, for now I'm gonna... go down stairs and wait for Libby" He traces part of my arm as he leaves making me sigh. I pick out a blue halter and some jeans and go to the bathroom to get changed.

After I finish I walk to the stairs and slowly make my way down, halfway I start to hear laughter. The further I walk towards the kitchen the louder it gets. It's Jimmy, I know that much. But there's a girl with him. I reach the entrance to the kitchen and see Jimmy talking to what I assume is Libby. Jimmy smiles and nods for me to come in. "Libby, I don't know if you'll recognize her b-"

Libby turns around eyes wide open and we stare at each other. I feel my eyes well up with tears. Jimmy continues talking but I can't hear what he's saying, it's like I have shell shock, and my ears are ringing "Cindy?" Libby asks slowly standing up, she takes a step towards me. "Libby," I step towards her as well wiping my eyes "I'm so sorry I left, I know you're probably so mad at-" She puts her hand up, for, I'm assuming, me to talk to, and looks down. "Girl." She looks back at me smiling, tears in her eyes as well. "I'm just psyched you're back" She rushes in and we hug.

"Can I get you some coffee, Libby?" Jimmy says walking to the coffee pot. "Butt out nerdbrain, this isn't exactly the most appropriate moment to be a hostess" I glare at him, us still in embrace. Libby laughs, "Girl, you don't know how much I've missed you." We part "Jimmy, it's cool, I'll take some coffee, two lumps please." She sits down and I follow "Cindy, why on earth would you do that? Just leave? You know you had me worried sick I thought you were dead in the sewers of New York by now." She berates slapping my shoulder; I pick up my coffee. Jimmy returns with Libby's coffee and sits beside me. "She very well could be hadn't I found her, except it was Oklahoma not New York." He says smiling at me like a know-it-all. We sit for a while in silence, Libby staring at me, not touching her coffee, Jimmy looking back and forth between us like a we were a ping pong match, I don't know really what I was doing.

"So Libby. I was telling Cindy about how you and Sheen-" "Don't mention that name, Jim." She said calmly barely looking at him. "Well I was, I was just say-saying how you said-" he stammered "I have nothing to say about him, or this subject." She closed her eyes and sipped her coffee "ooh hot" she laughs fanning the cup. I look at her puzzled in her strange behavior. "Smells great though, Jimbo" She winks at him. Jimmy and I exchange glances as she blows on her coffee. "Aaaah" she sighs smiling "it's so beautiful out, coolest day of the summer, my my what a day, you know?" "Uh... Libs?" I reach out and rest my hand on hers. "LISTEN I TOLD YOU HE'S A BRAINLESS PUNK AND NOT IMPORTANT NOW WILL YOU STOP _**BUGGIN'**_ ME" she slams her coffee down breaking the glass and spilling hot coffee all over the table. We all shoot up instantly "Oh jeese. Ok, oh jeese" Jimmy panics and runs to go get towels "Libby what the hey!" I gawk at her; she stands watching the table mouth hanging open. She drops the shattered handle from the cup on the floor and buries her face in her hands. "Oh Libby" I run to her side as Jimmy comes back with some towels "Jimmy, I'm taking Libby up to your room to talk, you stay here and clean up, ok?" I rest my hand on her back and lead her up the stairs.

I sit Libby down on Jimmy's bed and rub her back, poor girl; she's falling apart faster than Jimmy's coffee cup. "It's... Just... Really harsh" She sniffs, sobbing. "Like when you left, and I had no one, so Sheen was so sweet up until [sniff] I asked Jim to [sniff] fiind you" She weeps. "And with out Sheen, or you, [sniff] or even Jimmy or Carl, I didn't have no one to talk to [sniff] And you know how unreliable _Britanny_ is" She wiped her eyes and looked up "OH GAHAHAHAHAD" She sobs I look to see the ultrabed "oh sheese, Libby listen I'm here now, you can talk to me, it's gonna be ok." I hug her, completely pissed at myself for leaving in the first place. She sniffs some more and looks at me "Yeah, you're right. You are." She smiles and hugs me. "Girl you have know idea how much I missed you, being stuck with these losers really puts the wear and tear on yah you know?" She smiles pulling back and wiping her face.

"Yeah, I know. Remember that summer you left to go see Niagra Falls in Canada with your family. 5 days in and I vowed to lock myself in my room until you came back!" I laugh "Oh yeah!" she laughs too. We lie back on the bed and sigh.

"Libs, do you miss him?" I ask. She sniffs "No." "Yes you do." "Yes I do, Cyn I miss him. I miss him ok." she rolls over. I get up off the bed. "Well we need to do something about it." I say putting my hands on my waist "Yes we do. And quick" Jimmy says walking into the room. "Eves Drop Much?" I glare at him "I was bored" He shrugs. "But really, I came up here because Sheen just called." He looks at me briefly then to Libby "He's got a 'big' date with Melinda this Saturday," he says wrapping air quotes around the word big. "And knowing Sheen, big means, well... you know..." Jimmy looks down. I stand up quickly though "But, I mean this is Sheen we're talking about here, it's not like she's ever going to say yes." I look between the two frantically "Right?" Jimmy sighs and prepares to speak but Libby beats him to the punch "Melinda isn't like normal girls Cindy, she's desperate, crazy, and she laughs at all his jokes, even the" Her eyes start to tear "even the ultralord ones."

It being Monday night I guess this meant we'd have to work fast.

Osjdjeoief

See, I told you there's S/L This whole story is S/L and J/C I know not many of you even come here anymore it being 9 years since the show even started. I haven't been here for 3 myself. But I kind of miss it, and I guess some of you still care. I'm going to finish this story by next Saturday, promise. Also this chapter sucked sort of.


	6. No, You're Crazy

_"Jimmy," Cindy says, "I never should have run away," I smile stroking her hair "you're so manly," she kisses my face "and strong," she says kissing my jaw "and if you weren't here I'd be dead with in the minute that's how much I rely on your well developed ability to save the day all the time." Ignoring how run on her sentance was, I smile "Oh Cindy, If only you had never run away, then it wouldn't be so wrong to tell you how much i love you, and also call you strong, manly, and all that other stuff" I say, closing my eyes. She looks up at me "Yes, if only I hadn't run away." She smiles wickedly. "If only I hadn't-"_

"-Made you breakfaaaaast!" my eyes jolt open. "Wh-what?" I sit up slightly, rubbing my eyes. Cindy sits down on the bed next to me. Last night I finally got to sleep in my own bed and not that stupid cot I keep in the aquarium at the lab. I lie back down resting my eyes "I said I made you breakfast, goofball!" She giggles, making my eyes jolt open again. Goofball? "Goof... ball?" I blink. Her face quickly sours, losing its childish bubbliness "Fine, would you rather I call you Turdnozzle and feed your omlette to the rats?" She hits me "OOF" I fold over on my side, "ok, I'll go eat the omlette" I say gasping for air.

"YAY!" She grabs my wrist and tugs me out of bed dragging me down the stairs. "Your mom is out shopping," she says the childishness returned to her voice. The closer to the kitchen we get the more it smells like something is burnt. Badly. We reach the threshold and the chaos of the kitchen is unbelievable, silverware sprawled all over the floor, spills, dripping things, and a broken lightbulb still in its socket. I was about to ask what happened but she started speaking again. "We're out of eggs. That is, that's why your mom is out shopping." She pulls me to the booth and sits me down in front of a pathetic piece of egg, not thoroughly cooked with a smiley face made of ham squares for eyes and undercooked sausages for a mouth that looks like it's screaming bloody mary. I look up from it, Cindy beaming, obviously very proud of the creation she has laid out before me.

The burning smell was coming from the trashcan that held several, and I mean several burnt eggs. "It looks delicious Cindy." I lie blatantly, my smile almost as pathetic as the egg's. "Good, then eat up because we have a big day!" She grins ear to ear. Obviously I'm not eating that thing, but I picked at the yolk, still intact, pretending like I would and I was just looking for a good peice to start with. After fifteen minutes of that sharade she frowns again. "Listen Cindy, I'm sorry to disappoint you, I'm just not very hungry." I say quickly flinching, ready for her to scream, or hit me, or a combination of the two.

"That's fine" She says surprisingly calm and collected. She takes up the plate and throws the whole thing away. She comes back to the table and sits across from me. "Your mom said she had a few errands to run before she went shopping that may take up her whole day"

"Makes sense, when she lived alone that summer she got in the habit of occupying herself to distract from the fact that she was so lonely" I point out, Cindy waves it off though "Listen Jimmy, I don't actually care about that, I was just making conversation." Typical Cindy.

I look at her intently, her hair down for the first time since I, well I met her. Her smile is weak, or weaker than it was before she left. I guess she didn't have much to smile about though. Her eyes though, oh boy, I said I'd give up science forever if I never saw them again, and they haven't changed a bit. And through them, you can see her smile, her real smile. These past few days, I've gotten to see every bit of Cindy, every emotion; her ups and downs. Today manic and happy, yesterday sad and crying, the day before... before... the... d-day... bef- the day before wh-when we... k-kissed...

"What are you gawking at, Jimmy?" She laughs, "You look..." I shake my head "like an idiot, yeah I know, sorry" I chuckle looking down at the table. "No." I barely hear her whisper and look back up, "cute." She smirks. I can't help catching my breath, the same pain in my chest that happened last Saturday when we... k-kissed. "Uh... um..." my breath comes hurriedly "I-I-I-I-I-I" hummina hummina god I sound like an idiot. "Chillax Jimmy, it's not like I just said I want to have your babies. I just said you looked cute, it's not like you are or anything..." She cackles. "And now, I feel like an idiot." I utter under my breath "what?" "oh, no, nothing." I run my fingers through my hair.

And it gets quiet.

"Jimmy," Cindy speaks softly watching my face "I never should have run away." Wait... rewind. Dejavusayswhat? She scoots around the table "Cindy wait" I shake my head "No Jimmy, listen to me. You're s-" "Cindy if you're about to say what I think-" she presses her hand on my mouth "Shut up Jimmy, you're ruining the moment."She sighs dramatically closing her eyes.

"You're such a great friend and I'm really glad you found me. I can't believe you went looking for me in the first place" she wraps her arms around me in embrace "and if you weren't there I'd be dead within the minute.

"Thank you" she kisses my cheek. I shoot up "Cindy stop. Now. Just stop." She glares at me like I told her to sue atkins because those jeans make her look f-a-t fat. "What's wrong with you?" "YOU! YOU are what's wrong with me Cindy, you don't know how hard it is-" "It was just a hug! I don't see what's so 'hard' to deal with." She keeps her fierce gaze. I sigh. "Sure maybe it starts out as a hug, and then sure, a harmless kiss on the cheek but next thing you know we wake up next to each other all sticky in a bed filled with glitter and empty aerisol cans of whipped cream wondering what the Einstein happened the night before" "What... the...

"You're crazy." she closes her eyes rubbing her temples. I sit back down and grab her hand "Cindy listen... I'm dying over here." Cindy raises an eyebrow "I'm only crazy because you make me this way, you make me go mad by just being here, for the first time in four whole years! I'm absolutely bonkers knowing how close you are, and how much I want to be this close, and knowing how easily I could just reach over and kiss you but knowing I can't" Her eyes enlarge "w-wh-why... not?" "**BECAUSE! ** Because I couldn't stand having you leave again. Having you cry over some stupid thing I do... being responsible for your emotions and your happiness, when I know you can't trust me after what I did to you!" I stand back up. "I can never forgive myself."

Cindy closes her eyes again and lifts herself from the table "Jimmy, I-I-I, I'm sorry..." I gulp "I never meant to" "No Cindy. Just, forget about it. Forget about this, all I said, all we did,

"Forget about us.

"It's for the best." I say walking out of the kitchen to the front door. "I'm going over to Sheen's, I suggest you join me."


	7. Names That Start With M

**Hey guys, new chapter. I actually have 4 chapters done (I went out of order) and finished the next two chapters just because I guess you waited long enough for them. School's about to be in session so get ready for this story to be finished. These next two chapters aren't very good. Sorry about that. But they are here so rejoice. **

"AY AY AY! JIMMY!" Sheen says swinging the door open and pulling me inside. "Sheeeeeen!" I pat him on the back, the bro's way of hugging. "Man it feels like forever since I've seen you!" he laughs "Sheen, we talked on video chat every two weeks" I say watching his blank expression. "Still... it's been 3 years dawg! Show me some love, throw me a bone, come on!" he near-yells walking towards his kitchen. I laugh "so, Jimmy, you found Cindy?" he smiles "how did you know?"

Sheen throws me a soda "I have my ways, young James." He takes a swig of his. I open mine.

We sit in comfortable silence for a few seconds, I take a sip of my drink.

"So you guys do it yet?" He blatantly asks. I uncontrollably spit out my drink all over his counter. "Wha-What?" I ask wiping my mouth with my shirt. He closes his eyes and shakes his head 'knowingly' "What am I saying." I breathe a sigh of relief and take another sip of my drink.

"You probably did it before you even reached Retroville," he smacks his head as I once again spit soda all over his counter, not even caring anymore. "Sorry, I'm being so stupid today." "SHEEN! We haven't... done... it. We're just friends." I can't believe he'd even assume such a thing. "Oh, just friends" he snickers. "lemme guess, you're too chicken to take her back." I glare at him. "I'm not too chicken.

IF that were the situation of course, if we were on a mutual agreement to continue pursuing romantic interests in each other, I would _not _be too chicken." I cover up. Sheen just watches. "But that isn't the situation, we are actually on a mutual agreement to not continue pursuing romantic interests. So, there. End of story." Sheen nods looking down at his linoleum floors. I wipe the sweat off my forehead as things in the room cool down. He looks back up at me. "You guys totally kissed." My eyes jolt open, how the Frankenstein does he know all this. "N-no... we... didn't, Sheen." "You stuttered, you kissed." He laughs. "We didn't kiss, Sheen." "I bet you stopped and ran away to your wittwe wab because your a big fat chicken." He laughs even harder "Sheen we _DIDN'T_ _**KISS**_!" I yell, making Sheen immediately stop his annoying cackling.

We sit in a much more uncomfortable silence.

"So how about your date with Melody?" I ask him awkwardly. He scoffs "Melinda? I'm just going out with her so she'll stop bothering me." He releases a loud belch

"Really? Then why'd you call it 'big'?" I ask high-fiving him for his burpitude but continuing the conversation. He shrugs "I was out shopping with my dad,"

_"SHEEN!" I hear a shrill annoying voice pierce the air. Uuuuugh. I turn around "Marissaaaa" "IT'S MELINDA!" her eye twitches profusely. I back up slowly "Riiiiiiiight, listen Maribel" "MELINDA" "Melinda, I'm here with my dad shopping for college, so I should really get back to him." I quicken my pace. She claps her hands in excitement "What a coincidence! So am I! We should tooooootally shop together!" She grabs my arm and tugs me towards my father "Wait no, Melissa, stop." I pull my arm away, "Listen, I don't like you" I say gently Her eye starts twitching again "Well I knew that..." I sigh, "YOU LOVE ME!" she squeels grabbing my arm again. "No, no, no that's not what I meant!" When will this torment end. She looks back at me confused "Ay, señorita, give me a break. Just leave me alone." She smiles again "If you want I could go and call tomorrow?" Oh no, not the calling. All she does is call and call and call and call and call. I'd disconnect the phoneline but then we wouldn't be able to get calls from the family, more importantly uncle Pete. "No, listen Missy, if you want... I could... Listen if I take you on a date Saturday will you stop calling, following me around, talking to me in public just everthing you do that involves me?"_

"Why'd you call to tell me then?" I ask him. He shrugs again "she thought if I called you I wouldn't go back on my promise." He finishes off his drink and smashes the can on his forehead "UGH!" I laugh. Sheen tosses his can into the garbage. He starts talking about how Miranda, Malorie- Melinda! bought him a whole bunch of Ultralord fan stuff, including lingerie.

I know I came here to talk to Him about Libby and ask him if he feels the same way, but I can't find a way to work it into the conversation. Plus he feels strongly enough to kick me out of his house, he's done it before. I don't want to hurt his feelings, either.

_Chicken._

What? Who said that? _I did._

And who are you?

_I'm you. But back to the topic, you're a chicken. _What is this a mutiny? _Sheen was right, you. Are. A. Chicken._

Am not. _Are too. _Am not. _Then why won't you take Cindy back?_

B-b-because, she could leave again. _Baaaaaawck b-bawck. _I could make her cry. _I love how shiny your feathers are, have you started conditioning? _She can't trust me after what I did.

_You're so chicken. So chicken you're growing a beak. _My IQ is 23.5 times that of the average chickens. _Then why are you such a coward._ I'm not. _Then help Libby and talk to Sheen, do it. Do it. _Ok fine I'll do it, just leave me alone. _What ever you say, big guy._

"Uh, soooo, Libby" "**I ****HATE**** HER!**" He slams his hand down, twitching his eye. Are you sure, _don't make me get the suit. _What Suit? _The one that makes you look like a chicken. But on second thought I guess you don't need it _I get it ok! Yeah yeah chicken suit so funny.

"Why do you hate her?" "Because I can never forgive her for what she did to me." I look out the window. "She didn't do anything." "Yes she did she...you..." he sticks out his fingers "If her and I actually did something, how come you forgave me?" I ask him inquisitively. This might work. "I got lonely." "Well" I start "Libby's lonely now," he closes his eyes "I don't care." Yes he does. I can tell. Knowing a person for 8 years, you don't miss something like that. Suddenly something in my head clicks, if Sheen is forced to spend an amount of time in the same room with Libby, he'll realize the error of his ways and break down this wall of hate he has towards Libby. But how will that happen._Doesn't he have that date with a girl? _THAT'S IT!

"Sheen, how badly do you want to get rid of Meredith?" I slyly ask. He laughs "I'm going on a date with her aren't I?" I smile "Yes you are. What if I told you I could get you out of that date?" "Not possible," "-quite possible" "Even if you did she'd call me and follow me around and talk to me in public" "Not if you have a girlfriend." I say wrapping quotes around girlfriend. "N-" "Hear me out Sheen, you could tell Mary you can't go on her date because you have a date with Libby" He looks at me irritably "But she knows I hate Libby. And also I'm not going on a date with Libby." "You don't actually have to go on the date, just tell her." I say, not knowing where I was going with this. Sheen's eyes search my face "And you are sure this will work?" No. No. No. I'm almost positive it _won't _actually. "I _am_ a genius, aren't I?" He looks around the room "And I don't have to go on the date." I smile, even though I actually didn't accomplish anything. I was supposed to get them in a room. "You don't even have to look at her."

Hopefully this will take a turn in my favor.

**R and R please 33**


	8. The Motherload

**This one feels like a filler chapter. But that's just because it sort of is. I want to thank all of those who have reviewed so far. I'm doing this for you... ok no it's for me. But you guys play a huge part too. Love!  
**

"So you kissed and he left?" Libby stares at me, I nod "yeah, I know right. It was perfect and today I kissed him on the cheek to just say thank you" "Right. Perfectly normal." "And he flips out telling me that he can't do this because he doesn't want to hurt me." Libby frowns "Sorry girl. I didn't know you had it so rough." I shrug.

After Jimmy's little outburst I came over to Libby's, it's not like I'd follow that drama queen. He's over at Sheen's probably not making much progress, and I'm over here, complaining about him :) Sure I still like him, but he's made it clear that I need to move on.

"So he's at Sheen's now?" She asks tracing her finger in a circle on the sheets. "Yep. He's going over to talk to him about you." Libby frowns some more. "That's not going to turn out well. Every time Sheen hears my name he-" "Breaks coffee cups?" I smile; she laughs "Most likely worse." I lay back on her bed "He told me I should follow him, but I decided to take his car and come see you." Libby nods "Does he know you're over here? Or that you have his truck?" "Nah, I guess I'll call him" I say "Can I borrow your Phone?" I hold out my hand. She nods and throws me her home phone.

Suddenly the doorbell rings. Libby hops off of her bed "do you think that could be him?" she asks excitedly. I look out her open door. "Maybe," I stand up and follow her, she practically runs down the stairs, with much less enthusiasm. She reached the door as I reached the first step so I just stood there, it was probably the mail man, or if it was Sheen I wouldn't want to make him feel awkward. I hear her open the door "Oh, my, god." She says in disbelief. So it's not the mail man. "Liberty" I hear a familiar voice hiss, sending shivers down my spine and causing my whole body to paralyze. "I'm here for Cynthia, is she here with you?" I peek my head under the staircase and see my mother, her hair in the familiar bun with a grey streak running through it, wearing a black dress similar to the one she wore when I was a kid. She spots me "Cynthia dear" she smiles. How odd. Why is she smiling?

She pushes Liber-Libby aside and clacks her heels on the hardwood floor till she reaches the staircase. I step down a few steps revealing myself "Mother, how on Earth did you find out- I mean, what brings you here?" I ask she waves it off "The mother of that rat-boy you used to play with called me and told me you were back from your little storm out." She smiles so fake it hurts.

"I couldn't have been more ecstatic to hear of your arival, I boarded the first plane from Cali as soon as I heard. Now come down here and hug your mother properly, dear," She says holding her hands out.

I look at Libby and step cautiously down the stairs. I reach her and slowly wrap my arms around her "No no, Cynthia," she pushes me off "have you forgotten, kiss kiss deary" she and I kiss the air beside our cheeks. "Now Cynthia, I brought you some suitcases, they're in the car, I want you to pack up your things immediately and fly out to Cali to live with your poor old grandmama, so when she keels over we get the house and the cars." My mom swings her hips walking to the car I run after her "Wait, we're leaving?" I ask.

She turns around and smiles "But of course Cynthia, I will not have you stay here in this squaller any longer. Plus I've arranged we have a ball to celebrate your return, in your honor. All our family will be there." What is this, A ball, in _my_ honor, after I _left. _ "Mom, are you feeling ok?" She picks up the suitcase out of the trunk of the rental van "Why of course dear, now run upstairs and fill this up, we must make haste we have no time to dillydally and ask silly questions." She hands me the old thing.

"Mom, I don't have anything to fill this up with, I borrowed clothes from Jimmy's mom" I say watching her eyes fill with rage. "You are wearing... rags?" She stomps her foot and takes the suitcase back. "No, no, no, no, no, this will never ever do. My Cynthia should be wearing only the finest clothing not some poor person hand-me-downs." She stuffs the suitcase into the trunk and shuts the door. "Come Cynthia we're going to California right this instant." She glares at Libby.

"No, mom, wait, I can't leave yet!" Libby runs to my side "Yeah, Mrs. V, chillax. Cindy's my best friend! Can't you have the ball here or something?" My eyes widen "Yeah mom! That's a great idea, we could have it in a week, Saturday!" My mom shakes her head "Absolutely not." She walks around the front of the van. We follow her "Please mom, I can't just leave with out saying goodbye of everyone!" I beg. "You didn't seem to have a problem doing that four years ago!" She snaps at me. I feel my gut rench, oh god. I feel myself go speechless. I look down at the ground as a tear slips down my cheek.

"Mrs. Vortex, please just let us throw the Ball here, I need Cindy. I know you never really liked me, or any of Cindy's friends, but if you truely care about her you'd throw it here." Libby says. I look up after wiping my face. "Where would we have it." My mom sneers. "It just so happens that they just finished building an elegant ballroom beside the Candy Bar. With mirrored walls and a gorgeous staircase and golden pillars and floors." She smiles. How coincidental. My mother continues to glare "Where are you and the rest of this poor city going to find something to wear?" she asks.

This time I pipe in "a couple of miles from here is a city called Fusca, it's got a shopping district where everything is imported from the nicest shops in New York." When you run away you learn a few things about your surroundings. My mom stops the engine and pulls out the keys "Alright fine, dear. We can have the ball here." She reluctantly agrees. "Saturday. I'll work on the guestlist and preparations, and you two work on..." She looks us up and down "yourselves. For now I'm going to this so called ballroom." She backs out of Libby's driveway and drives down the street.

Libby smiles "That is the weirdest thing I've ever seen." I frown "Why is my mom being so nice, Libby? I'm scared." I grab onto her. She pats my back. "Come on girl, it's going to be ok. She's probably on some new medication." I laugh. "Yeah painkillers. I'm telling you Libby, she's not in her right mind."

Although a Ball, does kind of sound like fun. And this is a chance for Libby and Sheen to... forget their differences and make up. All right. All right. We'll see. I turn to Libby "so, what now?" I ask. She smiles cynically.

**Short. And yes, it says ball. Like Cinderella. Not ball like everybody get down tonight. Next chapter I have written, I'll post it because it's much better than the last two so maybe you'll forget how horribly rushed and robotic they were. RxR :D**


	9. One Hot Mama

"Oh, girl, this is gonna be so much fun!" Libby says to me from the passenger seat "I can't believe your mom let us use her $450,000 red Porsche convertible, with leather seats and chrome finishing to drive 15 miles to Fusca to go ball gown shopping! I knew my life would be glamorous when you got back." I smile warily and give her a slight nod, for who knows what calamity is hiding behind my sham of a mother. She's supposed to be furious that I left, threw my blackberry that _she_ bought me, and never called to tell her that I came back. It's in her nature to be evil and untrusting not nurturing and giving us twelve THOUSAND dollars (yeah, that's _cash_, well actually debit) to go dress shopping for a Formal Dinner and Ball she's throwing in _my_ honor for just 'being alive'. I thought her and the rest of the fams were just hoping I was dead so they could just pretend I never existed. I bite my nails.

Although...

She is a human being... and my mother... and I'm sure there's a heart somewhere in there; but not enough to waste money on the likes of me.

Libby looks at me "Girl, what's up you seem a lot less psyched about this, and this bash is gonna be all for you baby!" she knocks into my shoulder until I chuckle to amuse her "I just can't help but think why my mother is doing all of this for me. She's practically throwing her money at me, and it's beginning to look like she actually... wants... me. You know, as a daughter." I sigh as I turn on an exit. She squeals "Just forget about it Cyn, it's not like she's doing this to personally sabotage you or anything. Come on just think in a few seconds you and I are gonna be trying on thousands of gorgeous, _expensive_ dresses in the fashion district of small-town Texas, get psyched, get pumped! OH turn here girl I hear Charles D'Witzerre has the most gorgeous gowns... not a square of cotton/polyester blend in sight" she smiles widely clapping her hands. I smile back, maybe she is right, I should relax... this is gonna be fun, plus I haven't worn anything elegant let alone, bought it, in my whole life.

"You think this makes my butt look big?" Libby says spreading open the curtain to a bright blue metallic mermaid silk dress with a crumb-catcher ruffle at the top. It indeed made her butt look very big. I look back down at the dress-sample magazine "Yep." She smiles "good..." her smile fades as she turns to the mirror "but I don't like it. It's definitely not me. I'm thinking bigger, more skin, and definitely a beaded corset," She says turning back into the dressing room "yep, a beaded corset is a must" I laugh and flip through the last few pages of the magazine.

"Cindy!" I hear her whine from behind the curtain "when are you gonna get off your lazy butt and try on some dresses." "When...

"I...

"doooooooooo...

"Thiiiiiiiiis... Thiiiiiiing" I say trying to form a sentence with out actually thinking about the sentence. "CINDY!" She opens the curtain around her face "now, I don't wanna be all alone here, plus, when are you gonna get another opportunity like this?" she moans, I roll my eyes and blow a stray piece of hair off my face "probably when my mom lavishes me with more cash in California for the next 'Grand Ball'" I put the magazine down and walk towards the racks "I still don't understand why she's acting so weird" I say going through the dresses. Libby's head disappears behind the curtains "Forget about that, girl!" I hear her say as she puts on the next dress

A man walking very briskly wearing a fancy pinstripe suit walks into the room and sees me "OH DEAR! My girl, you... you are so attractive, has nobody helped you yet, I'm sure they have... Jeannette _must_ have..." he smiles speaking in a British, not too heavy accent turning me around. For some very strange reason I start talking in a semi-british accent without thinking. "No, I do not... know of any Jeannette, my frien-acquaintance Lib-Libby-Liberty and I, Cynthia... the... sec-thi-**fourth** of the Vortex heir...man...ship were just trying on some of your fine, _fine_, dresses, and gowns, for a ball being thrown in my honor in Retroville."

His face sours "_Retroville_?" I smile as fake as I didn't know I could "Yes, I know the location isn't the, best, of places for a baaaall, but I requested it because I guess I've always been fond of... _small_... town charm." I sound so much like my mother it's disgusting. I look at Libby who's staring at me as if I'm crazy. Which I already understand I am. She eventually smiles too, acquiring the same British-accent I had. "Yes, it's just something about the smell of _poooor_ in the morning" she laughs, revealing herself from behind the curtain in a giant, and I mean, giant ball gown, princess-y and dark purple with white, intricate beading all over the corset.

The small man gasps, "Oh my dear, that's wonderful, you look like a million bucks." He smiles faker than I "Assuming you can pay that, my dear that dress is $900,000" I loose consciousness for a second. "Liberty, if you would take that dress off, noooow, and hand it to the nice man so he can find you a nicer, cheaper dress" I glare at her until she disappears behind the curtain a third time.

The consultant turns to me "Deary, I'd be glad to do that, and I have the perfect dresses for you to try on if you wouldn't mind telling me your price range" I nod. "I have twelve thousand here for the both of us so anyway you can fit it where our dresses coincide in a 6 to 8 thousand dollar price range so I have some left for shoes and priceless gems that would be wonderful."

He comes back thirty minutes later with around ten dresses and hands five of them to me, and five to Libby. "Mrs. Vortex I've took liberty (badumchhh) in assessing which gown would make you look absolutely breathtaking and pulled a few samples." I take the dresses, which are much heavier than they look and stagger over to the dressing room and unzip the first bag, slip it on, and zip it up.

The first is a green V-neck with ruffles down passed the knee and yellow detailing. I walk out and the guy almost bursts out in tears, but there was no immediate reaction from Libby. I walk... if you can call it walking, which you can't so I'll call it waddling. I waddle over to the 180-degree mirror and adjust my strap. "It's... interesting" I say He slaps my shoulder "are you kidding? It's perfect. Marvelous! Couldn't be better!" Libby shakes her head. "I don't like it. It's too... ugly. Try on the next dress" I nod complying. Next dress.

A blue pleated corset with layers of tulle at the bottom. I sort of like it. I look over at Libby who's shaking her head 'no'. I shrug. Next dress.

A yellow and white dress with a puffy sleeve that swirls around my hips and legs making me look like a giant banana swirl ice-cream cone with... well, puffy sleeves. I look over at Libby, puking in the fake plant in the corner. Next dress.

Another green dress with a white beaded top and a tulle skirt, that cuts off at the knees. I start questioning this man's taste in dresses and Libby's taste in dress stores and don't even bother putting it on. Next dress, _please_.

Finally the last dress. And it doesn't look like Libby or I are going to puke this time. I slip it on and step outside to the mirror.

It's a red silky sweetheart strapless gown that hugs my curves and has a slit that reveals almost my entire leg if I step far enough. It has a white band right over my waist.

Libby smiles. "I think this is the one." I say stepping off the mirror's platform. She stands up hurriedly. "My turn my turn, and I better not puke small fry" She glares at him "cause if I do I won't help clean it up this time." She snaps back around and walks into the other dressing room. I change back into my clothes.

We wait outside for a few minutes listening to clacking of hangers and "no, no, no, EW no, fine I'll give it a shot." She of course wanted to have all princess gowns because she likes the way they look when she spins. She also has hanger eye. What's hanger eye you ask? Well, you know that thing where a dress looks a lot different on the hanger than on the person? Libby doesn't have that problem; she can see a dress on a hanger and know instantly if it's right for her.

She came out in a white v-neck gown with gold ribbon in lace detailing on the front of the top, stopping on her hips and fans out in a white silk skirt, sort of puffy sort of not. I don't know all the technical terms you know. It's super pretty.

Her eyes open widely as she turns to the mirror. She stands there speechlessly. "You, like it?" I ask draping my messenger bag across my shoulder. "Like it?" She spins in a circle quickly, the 'sort of puffy sort of not' skirt fans out "I LOVE IT!"

"So, can I check you out?" The short man says holding a box with my red dress in it. "I don't wanna take it off yet!" Libby looks longingly into the mirror running her hand down the dress. "Liberty, remember we still have to buy shooooes" her breath catches in a small squeek "and jeeeewelery" she gasps louder "and get our haaaair done-" 5 seconds later she's back in her normal clothes holding her dress in one hand and the debit card in the other "Come on shortstop let's make this quick I don't have all day to just loll about in your shop I have a life to live." He glares at her and takes her dress and mine to the register.

We get in the car dresses in the back Libby smiles widely "Girl! Girl! Girl!" She bounces up and down as I start the car. I laugh "alright hold on, hold on." I pull out of the parking lot and onto the main street, 'Mainstreet'. "Where to next?" I ask as we slow to a stop at the red light" She looks around like a child. "I'm thinking shooooes" To shoes we go.


End file.
